Study Programmes 2016-2017
SPOL1203-2  
Introduction to International Relations
Duration :
60h Th
Number of credits :
Bachelor in law5
Bachelor in political sciences : general6
Master in political sciences : general (120 ECTS)6
Master in political sciences : general (60 ECTS)6
Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...)6
Bachelor in human and social sciences6
Master in population and development studies (120 ECTS)6
Master in multilingual communication (120 ECTS)8
Master in journalism (120 ECTS)5
Master in geography : general (120 ECTS)4
Lecturer :
Sébastian Santander
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents :
Introduction to key notions and features in international relations. We will consider:


  • Various theoretical approaches and theoretical concepts;
  • the State, territorial space, sovereignty, international organisations;
  • foreign policy
  • transnational partners;
  • the evolution of the international system, between order and disorder;
  • the historical development of the international system;
  • international trade and economic relations;
  • strategic relations, between conflicts and cooperation.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit :
The course aims at providing students with clues to understand major trends in the contemporary world, among which:


  • major issues in international security
  • dynamics at work in the globalisation and regionalisation processes
  • international institutions and organisations
  • changes in economic relationships both in countries of the North and in countries of the South
  • multiplication of the number of partners in international relations.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
The Course is given in French. However, students who wish to take this course have to be able to read and refer to works and periodicals in English. Passive knowledge of english is required.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Several activites are planned:
1. Students must attend the coaching sessions organized in small groups in order to study the mandatory reading (see below) of the academic year. One point will be deducted from the final mark for each unjustified absence.
2. Students will have other readings as well in english as in french. If so, they will get the readings during the year.
3. Students must follow the daily international news. They will receive every week a questionnaire. The last consists of 3 to 5 questions about international news, which will have taken  place during the week preceding the course. Those who will have answered 7 questionnaires on 9 and will have given 70% of good answers will receive a bonus of 2 points on the final mark.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Ex Cathedra lectures
If the opportunity arises, there will be external interventions.
It is also possible the students will have to follow a couple of conferences related to topics tackled during the course.
Recommended or required readings :
The course is based on notes prepared by the responsable of the course and some obligatory readings given during the course.
Obligatory reading for 2016-2017:
Dominique Moïsi, La géopolitique des séries ou le triomphe de la peur, Paris, Stock, 2016, 195 pages.
The reading is available at "Point de Vue" (Campus: Sart Tilman) and at Pax Library (downtown).
The book is available at the Graulich Library located at the Campus of Sart Tilman.
Obligatory reading: Sebastian Santander, "L'administration Obama a-t-elle (vraiment) navigué à vue sur la scène mondiale ?", Recherches internationales, n°106, 2016, pp. 49-74. Available on ORBI: http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/handle/2268/201750
Recommended reading:
Richard Mansbach and Kirsten Taylor, Introduction to Global Politics, Londres, Routledge, 2011, 602 p. Diane Ethier, Introduction aux relations internationales, Montréal, Presse universitaire de Montréal, 2010
Michel Nazet, Comprendre l'actualité: géopolitique et relations internationales, Paris, Ellipses, 2014;
Jean-Christophe Victor, Virginie Raisson, Franck Tétard et Frédéric Lernoud, Les dessous des cartes: atlas géopolitique, 2006
Jean-Claude Zarka, "Relations internationales", Paris, Ellipse, 5e éd., 2013;
We highly recommend students to refer to a chronology of international relations.
We also highly recommend students to refer to dictionaries of international relations (e. g., Dictionnaire des relations internationales, 3eme édition, publié par Marie-Claude Smouts, Dario Battistella, Pascal Vennesson et Franck Petiteville, Paris, Dalloz, 2012, 572 pages).
Assessment methods and criteria :
Written examination both in the first and second session: open questions and may be multiple choice
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
The course evolves, year by year, according to the political topicality of international relations. The students will receive the structure of the course at the end of the quadrimester.
The document will be available on MyULg.
Contacts :
- Professor: Sebastian Santander (Office: R71, level 0 - tel. 04 366 30 46)
- Assistants:
Liridon Lika (Bureau R12, niveau 0 - tel. 04.366.42.59, Liridon.Lika@ulg.ac.be)
Gabrielle W. Cusson (Bureau R80, niveau 0 - tel. 04.366.43.89, gcusson@ulg.ac.be)